The Jumping Fish
by Lizardbeth J
Summary: If you knew the world wasn't quite 'right', would you try to fix it? Not when you have what you want... (Moebius II tag)


Episode Tag for Moebius II. SPOILER WARNING!

'Threads' fix ficlet. For those who wish things were different... (not for Jack/Sam shippers or anybody who thinks killing Jacob was a good idea)

Disclaimer: SG-1 is copyright MGM. No money made on this. I might just have to take the Tok'ra though, and treat them right... This fic contains dialogue lifted straight from the ep, written by people other than me.

I couldn't resist the opportunity given by this scene. Enjoy!

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**The Jumping Fish**

By Lizardbeth

Sam sighed in contentment as she held the fishing rod and enjoyed the feeling of her old team back in place around her. O'Neill was next to her, also fishing. And Teal'c and Daniel were getting the drinks. In fact, she could hear them approaching behind her and she smiled. "This is great."

O'Neill sounded more than a little smug. "I told ya."

She sighed and looked out at the placid pond water. "I can't believe we didn't do it years ago."

"Yes, well, let's not dwell," O'Neill advised.

She chuckled, glancing at him. It was so much better to be around him in this sort of relaxed atmosphere, back in the old team frame of mind. The rest of the time lately she was all too aware that her CO was now a general and had a lot more on his mind than the team's latest mission.

But those were thoughts for another day. She turned her head again to watch the pond, just in time to see a small shimmering shape jump out of the water and splash back down.

She looked at O'Neill again, with a small frown. "Didn't that tape say there were no fish in your pond?"

He shrugged slightly. "Close enough."

She nodded, but inside, she wondered. The tape only mentioned certain events. If the fish was different, what else was different that they didn't know about? They hadn't quite left the timeline untouched after all, that much was clear… But then she would never know how it had shifted, would she? So it didn't matter. They certainly weren't going to try again.

Her chair shook a bit as Daniel walked out onto the pier, and she turned to give him a smile of greeting.

Just then, her cell phone rang. It was in the bag by her feet, and the shrill tone did not appear to be muffled at all. She winced, then again as O'Neill glared at her. "Carter!"

"Sorry," she smiled sheepishly, but put her pole down and rooted for the phone anyway.

"No phones!" O'Neill admonished, wagging a finger of his free hand at her. "Turn it off."

She glanced at the number on the front display. "It's the base, sir." And she flipped the phone open. "Carter."

"_Carter, this is Reynolds. Sorry to interrupt your vacation_."

Ah, base commander in O'Neill's absence. He was probably the only one who was not Hammond or above who would dare. She'd always liked Reynolds, since, like her, he could handle a gun and he knew enough science to understand what she was talking about in briefings. "No problem. Go ahead. The general's right here..." she ignored O'Neill's frantic shaking of his head and warding off gesture.

"_No, no, you don't need to bug him_," Reynolds assured her. "_I have someone here who'd like to talk to you. Hold on a sec_."

The next voice coming over the phone made her smile. "_Hello, kiddo. I hear you're actually taking a vacation. Will wonders never cease_?"

"Hi, Dad. What're you doing home?" she asked, remembering the open line and not asking what he was doing on Earth. She ignored O'Neill's expressive eye rolling by the expedient of getting to her feet and wandering back toward where Teal'c was sitting, with her phone stuck to her ear.

Jacob Carter answered, "_Well, I've got some news. Some good, some not so good_."

She froze, and gazed absently toward the cabin as she waited. "Oh? What?"

"_The not so good news is that Sel's been ill_," he answered carefully. "_Not well at all. But a friend of ours on the council … one of our few friends, really, and the only one who's an expert at molecular biology_ …" she couldn't help a smile at this backhanded way of identifying Malek. Her dad went on, "_He identified and countered a very subtle chemical compound that was interfering in Sel's ability to heal himself. If our friend hadn't been able to find the cure, well, let's just say we might not be having this conversation, Sam_."

She bit her lip. "Then… I'm glad to hear it. And I'm very grateful to him, Dad. But what sort of compound? Where did you get it? Or are you talking some sort of poison?"

She was aware of Teal'c's head suddenly lifting to look at her, and even Daniel and O'Neill turning around to listen.

Jacob answered more hesitantly than she wanted to hear, "_Well… we're not sure. It is natural, formed by volcanic activity. We might have picked it up when we were prisoners in that hellhole. Our mutual friend reports that a trace amount of the same chemical was found in Jolinar. But the concentration in Sel was much higher_."

"Do you need me to come back?" she asked.

"_No, no, that's okay_," he assured her. "_Enjoy your time off, Sam. I just wanted to let you know what was going on. I know you were a little… concerned on Dakara. But we're okay_."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I could help find out how it happened… You wouldn't have come all the way here and told me this, without at least some part of you wanting me involved, right?"

He sighed. "_Sam_…"

In exactly the same tone, she mimicked, "Dad…" But then she realized there was something else. "You said you had some good news, too, or was that the antidote?"

"_Well, not that Sel being cured isn't good news all on its own_…" he began slowly. But she caught a tone in his voice that she remembered from many Christmases when he was milking the drama of some much-desired present.

"Dad! Just tell me," she demanded, wondering if she was always going to be six years old to her father.

"_I think I'll let someone else do that_," Jacob answered.

"Hey, you can't leave me hanging," she objected, but her dad didn't answer. She waited impatiently.

Then a different voice came to her ear. "_Hello, Sam_."

She knew that voice, despite a little distortion on the phone. Warmth blossomed in her chest and she couldn't help bursting into a grin. "You're back!" she exclaimed. Suddenly aware of her other friends well able to eavesdrop, she hurried up to the cabin, out of at least the general and Daniel's earshot. "Thank God. And you're all right?" she asked, in a sudden burst of concern.

"_We are well. The mission was a success_," he reported. "_We would like to see you, but of course we understand if you would prefer to_ "

She cut him off. "I'm on the next plane, Martouf. I'll be home in less than twelve hours." She softened her voice, still smiling with sheer happiness and excitement. "I can't wait to see you. It's been so long, it seems like forever."

"_To us as well_," he answered. "_Jacob is giving me **that look**_," he added with a smile in his voice._ "I believe that is the signal to say goodbye_."

She had to laugh, knowing _that look_ very well. "All right. I'll see you soon. I love you."

"_I love you also, Samantha. Keep well." _It was still Martouf's voice, but she could tell by the 'Samantha' that it was Lantash now speaking. Clearly he had not wanted Martouf to do all the talking to her.

She pressed 'end' reluctantly and slid the phone in her pocket. Returning to the guys, she met three very curious stares.

"So, Marty's mission is over?" O'Neill asked, though not as if it was much of a question.

She nodded. "So, thanks for the fishing, but I'm going back."

"All right," he waved and ostentatiously turned back to face the pond with pretended grumpiness. "Fine. I can see fishing with friends ranks somewhere below boyfriends with two brains."

She chuckled. Not for the first time, she was profoundly grateful that the general's experience with Kanan had shown him the courage of the Tok'ra. Otherwise, she hated to think what might have been. She explained, a little self-conscious, "Well, if he hadn't been gone for so long "

O'Neill turned back to look at her, and he rolled his eyes. "Carter, kidding! Jeez. Go, have fun, give him a kiss from us. Okay, maybe not that part," he reconsidered, wrinkling his nose. "Never mind. Say hi to Jacob. And when I get back I want to hear the details about Selmak getting poisoned. But not " he wagged a finger at her, "until my next three days of fishing are over. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," she answered smartly. "I'll go get packed."

"I will take you to the airport, Colonel Carter," Teal'c offered and stood.

"That'd be great, thanks."

As she and Teal'c walked back toward the cabin, she realized that she was the one this time who was breaking up the team. It gave her a little pang and she glanced back over her shoulder at O'Neill and Daniel, who had taken her chair and her pole.

But then, she turned back, a smile on her face that she couldn't suppress. Martouf was back from his mission, her dad and Selmak were home, her friends were safe, Anubis was overthrown, and everyone was healthy.

All was right with the world.

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hope you enjoyed it! 


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